Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Jul. 28, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended July 28, 2017 was 15.6 percent, as compared to 6.0 percent for the three months ended July 29, 2016. The increase in the effective tax rate for the three months ended July 28, 2017 was primarily due to certain tax adjustments, changes in the amount and jurisdiction of restructuring charges, net and certain litigation charges, the finalization of certain tax audits, the lapse of a statute of limitations for federal purposes, excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation due to the adoption of revised guidance, and year over year changes in operational results by jurisdiction. During the three months ended July 28, 2017, the Company recognized charges of $60 million primarily related to the tax effect from certain restructuring steps taken during the quarter in anticipation of the divestiture of a portion of the Patient Monitoring & Recovery division to Cardinal Health. These charges were recorded within provision for income taxes in the consolidated statement of income for the three months ended July 28, 2017. During the three months ended July 29, 2016, the Company recognized a $31 million net benefit from certain tax adjustments. A $431 million tax benefit was recognized as the result of the resolution of Covidien's previously disclosed Tyco International plc intercompany debt issues with the U.S. Tax Court and the Appeals Division of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This benefit was partially offset by a $371 million charge associated with the expected resolution with the IRS for the Ardian, CoreValve, Inc. and Ablation Frontiers, Inc. acquisition-related issues and the allocation of income between Medtronic, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary operating in Puerto Rico for certain businesses. This resolution does not include the businesses that are the subject of the Medtronic, Inc. U.S. Tax Court case for fiscal years 2005 and 2006. In addition, the Company recognized a $29 million charge in connection with the redemption of an intercompany minority interest. During the three months ended July 28, 2017, the Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits decreased from $1.9 billion to $1.8 billion. In addition, the Company had accrued gross interest and penalties of $384 million at July 28, 2017. If all of the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits were recognized, approximately $1.8 billion would impact the Company’s effective tax rate. At July 28, 2017, the Company had $92 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits recorded as a current liability within accrued income taxes with the balance recorded as a noncurrent liability within accrued income taxes on the consolidated balance sheet. At April 28, 2017, the total balance of the Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits was recorded as a noncurrent liability within accrued income taxes on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company will continue to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters within provision for income taxes in the consolidated statements of income and record the liability within either current or noncurrent accrued income taxes on the consolidated balance sheets. See Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding the status of current tax audits and proceedings.

Income Taxes

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended July 28, 2017 was 15.6 percent, as compared to 6.0 percent for the three months ended July 29, 2016. The increase in the effective tax rate for the three months ended July 28, 2017 was primarily due to certain tax adjustments, changes in the amount and jurisdiction of restructuring charges, net and certain litigation charges, the finalization of certain tax audits, the lapse of a statute of limitations for federal purposes, excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation due to the adoption of revised guidance, and year over year changes in operational results by jurisdiction.

During the three months ended July 28, 2017, the Company recognized charges of $60 million primarily related to the tax effect from certain restructuring steps taken during the quarter in anticipation of the divestiture of a portion of the Patient Monitoring & Recovery division to Cardinal Health. These charges were recorded within provision for income taxes in the consolidated statement of income for the three months ended July 28, 2017.

During the three months ended July 29, 2016, the Company recognized a $31 million net benefit from certain tax adjustments. A $431 million tax benefit was recognized as the result of the resolution of Covidien's previously disclosed Tyco International plc intercompany debt issues with the U.S. Tax Court and the Appeals Division of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This benefit was partially offset by a $371 million charge associated with the expected resolution with the IRS for the Ardian, CoreValve, Inc. and Ablation Frontiers, Inc. acquisition-related issues and the allocation of income between Medtronic, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary operating in Puerto Rico for certain businesses. This resolution does not include the businesses that are the subject of the Medtronic, Inc. U.S. Tax Court case for fiscal years 2005 and 2006. In addition, the Company recognized a $29 million charge in connection with the redemption of an intercompany minority interest.

During the three months ended July 28, 2017, the Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits decreased from $1.9 billion to $1.8 billion. In addition, the Company had accrued gross interest and penalties of $384 million at July 28, 2017. If all of the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits were recognized, approximately $1.8 billion would impact the Company’s effective tax rate. At July 28, 2017, the Company had $92 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits recorded as a current liability within accrued income taxes with the balance recorded as a noncurrent liability within accrued income taxes on the consolidated balance sheet. At April 28, 2017, the total balance of the Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits was recorded as a noncurrent liability within accrued income taxes on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company will continue to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters within provision for income taxes in the consolidated statements of income and record the liability within either current or noncurrent accrued income taxes on the consolidated balance sheets.

See Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding the status of current tax audits and proceedings.